Fate Cataclysm
by The General Electric
Summary: The Mage Killer could not hold back the darkness within the Grail. The Beast escaped tearing all things asunder. 60 years later the Fifth Grail War is beginning and the prize is but the power to renew the world and become a God among Men.
1. The Summoning of Heroes

The sheer force of the prana assaulting his person made Emiya grit his teeth, almost in pain, as he watched the grail crack and a pure malevolence within it claw and scrape, vile magiks erupting as it sought it's escape from within the confines of the Holy Grail.

'_She can't stop it.'_ The Mage Killer thought desperately as he watched his servant's sword cleaving at the vessel of the Holy Grail, the legendary Excalibur actually cracking from the sheer force of the colliding prana. _'All this way, everything I've given and I damn the world instead of save it?'_

He had been hired by the family Einzbern to win them the Grail, to win a wish in their name and to see their family receive an heir. He had given them their heir, Illya, his daughter. The one person besides his wife he had been able to let his guard down around, to act like a normal human being.

He had fought well, his enemies falling before not only the might of the Heroic Spirit he had contracted as his Servant for the duration of the war, but also by his sheer brutal tactics and personal skill.

Something Kayneth Archibald El-Meloi had learnt the hard way as one of his special bullets tore apart the man's magic circuits from the inside out, almost killing him. Rendering him a vegetable for certain.

In the end, he had persevered, together with Saber they had obtained the Grail, they had succeeded, but not all was right. As he had grasped at his fading wife's hand, her body being the Einzbern's container for the Grail, a dark pressure had lashed out, Irisviel's pale skin had cracked and burnt, her final scream agonizing. His eyes swinging to his servant he had swifty used the last of his Command Seals to destroy what was left of his beloved, to make sure that the beast inside the Grail could not escape.

However, it seemed whatever the creature was much more powerful than he had even begun to guess.

The pressure redoubled, and Kiritsuga's eyes went wide as the King of Knights and the legendary King Arturia let out a scream of pain as Excalibur's blade finally gave way, the young woman being thrown back in a wave of her own blood and black flame, before dissapearing in a flash of light as the body of his wife finally burst at the seams, a dark clawed hand bursting from the thrashing fire and grasping his neck in it's grip.

The pressure behind the grip was enormous and the fire had engulfed the warehouse they had been in completely, surely spreading out and engulfing Fuyuki completely with far to much ease.

As his vision got darker and darker, and the beasts cackles of joy echoed around the burning building, Kiritsuga Emiya allowed himself just one more selfish thought.

'_Iri… Illya... I...'_

And then his neck was snapped and he knew no more but darkness.

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><p><strong>FateCataclysm**

**A Fate Fan Novel  
><strong>

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><p>Brown eyes glowed steel in the dark of the night, 60 years after the rise of Angra Mainyu and the fall of the Clock Tower, the world had been ravaged and scorched as the monstrous beast made its way across the world, naught but chaos in its wake and the agents of death it left behind.<p>

They had been running across the world for a long time now, not knowing where to go to, led by a force pulling them to where they needed to be. Right here, and right now in front of an impossible Apple Tree far west from the ruins of Acre.

Magic was no longer a secret everyone in the world having learnt of it that terrible night almost 60 years ago, as the Beast had been freed of its prison deep within the holy confines of the Grail and knowing magic had become a necessity if one was to survive for any kind of time.

"Neh, Atei?" a small voice asked from its perch on his shoulder, drawing and warming his eyes as he took in the form of his little sister, Nia. "Will this work?"

His eyes spun back to the intricate circle he had spent the last 4 hours drawing, raising his right hand to take in the patterned tattoo that had appeared on his hand and led to his running half way across the world, the design of a command seal granted by the ancient and terrible Holy Grail, an entry into a war for power unimaginable.

And to survive it he would need a Servant, an ancient Hero of legend and renown that would be summoned and reborn under his command.

"It has to work Nia." Atei Mazzella affirmed, raising his hand so that his Command Seal, the mark of a Master, was turned towards the intricate summoning circle which had begun to glow a fierce electric blue. "It will work."

**_In the ashes of our Ego and Defiance_**

**_We yell unto the Heavens, of Our Regret and Plight…  
><em>**

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><p>The 3 great families had been almost been obliterated when the Beast had been unleashed, but no more so then the Mato family.<p>

Zoken Mato snarled as he batted away yet another creature come to interrupt him in the middle of his preperations, even as his ancient bones creaked and strained in protest.

The man had been old at the dawn of the Cataclysm, his Crest Worm familiars keeping him alive far beyond his natural life span, and even further to today.

His family had been dying out even then, his Grandson with zero talent for sorcery and his son uncaring about carrying on the family name or talents.

He had adopted the Tokiomi Girl, Sakura, into his family in an attempt to introduce fresh blood to the line, even going so far as to introduce some of his familiar's into the girl.

It had all been in vain though, that night, 60 years previous, when Fuyuki had erupted in black fire, when the world had been damned.

Finishing the circle, he gnashed his teeth at his right hand in anger. This was not supposed to happen, the world living in fear, he the only survivor of such a prominent and powerful family of mages.

No, it would not end this way, he would not allow it.

Removing a rusting silver shield from his back, he thrust the point at the bottom of the metal into the dead ground at the top of the circle, the red cross imbued on the metal dull, faded and chipped staring at him almost mockingly.

'_Your God denied you dying will, Your God has abandoned us all.'_ Snarling once more as the worms beneath his skin squirmed and writhed in perverted excitement at the magic to come, neglecting to remember that it was he and the Einzberns and Tohsakas that had summoned Angra and sealed it within the grail in the first place. "You will not fight for your God Crusader, or his will. You will fight for me and mine." He would finally complete the grail, what the families had tried to do so long ago, and the world would be his, the Matou on top just as it should be.

**_…I Call to Thee, To Bind thy Service to my Will_**

**_But thou Eyes Shalt Be Clouded By Madness, and Thou Mind Lost to Rage…  
><em>**

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><p>In an apartment rotted out by neglect and age, a young girl with bright green hair and tan brown skin stared as a man with a green laurel and white robes, a crimson mantle flowing over his left arm stood before her, the broken dagger that had been used to summon him now whole and sitting in his right hand, pointing straight at her.<p>

All Terra Shay could do was smile in excitement.

**_…Thy Rule is Iron, Thy Word is Law_**

**_Blade in hand, and Chariot Beneath Your Feet…_**

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><p>In a cave near the summit of Mt Fuji, A samurai knelt in a circle of swords, his soft white Hakama fluttering gently in a non-existant breeze as Aoi Tousen looked on with watering eyes.<p>

Moving from his kneeling position, he raised his hands and the swords, previously embedded in the earth at the edge of the circle, shot up and slid their way into 7 sheaths on the warriors person.

Falling to her knees, she pumped a silver arm into the air, letting out a choked sob and a cry of triumph all at once.

**_...With Sword in Hand, and Blood Betwixt Thy Fingers_**

**_Forget Your Failures, Yet Earn Your Penance…_**

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><p>In the ruins of an old church, an old man leaned on a pristine wooden cane, his mobility and strength all but gone as he approached his 90th year, his magic almost drained and gone due to the strain of maintaining Archer for nearly 60 years.<p>

Dressed in the traditional black robes of a Christian Priest, the old man shrugged off the heavy black coat, revealing a body covered in tattoos.

In reality these tattoos were command seals, and as a chosen judge of the Grail, they were his to hold and his to reward, should a situation merit it.

As the seals etched across his body thrummed with comforting warmth, he knew that the war had begun once more.

A creak echoed from the top of some rotten stairs drawing his attention, gaze focusing the blonde haired figure in black clothes leaning on the banister, a delighted smirk on his face.

Returning the smirk, the blonde haired man asked with a voice sardonic and mocking. "Tell me, old man. Are you my Master?"

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><p><strong><em>...We Call Upon Thee, Heroes and Spirits.<em>**

**_Come Ride and Bleed With Us_**

**_And As Fate has Decried, Shall we Heroes Save Untold Lives  
><em>**

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><p><strong>Ugh, I'm so fucking masochistic it isn't even funny. So, on top of all my other stories (Including some Original Fiction and other Miscellaneous Projects) I've gone and added an entire FateScenario to my work load as well.**

**Good times.**

**Now before you ask why both Zouken and Kirei are still alive and why Shirou is nowhere in sight, take note.**

**The divergence happens at the end of Fate/Zero, Shirou most likely died in the Fuyuki fire, now the Fuyuki Purge due to AU, and Stay Night didn't happen, so there was no setting up of the circumstances that allowed for both Kirei's and Zouken's deaths.**

**Anyway that's all for now kiddies, until next time.**


	2. March to the Sound of the Gallows' Howl

**Fate/Cataclysm**

**Chapter II - March to the Sound of the Gallows' Howl**

_The Fate/World is property of Typemoon. I do not own the concepts of The Grail War, master's Servants or even Fuyuki City. However, I do own 6 of the 7 Servants, 5 of the 7 Master's and this particular happenstance of the 5th Grail War._

_Apart from that, none of it is mine._

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><p>Even now, the barren waste that had once been Fuyuki City was alive, the massive coalescence of multiple leylines, massive channels of prana running through the earth, never stopping and giving the land a sort of awareness that had not faded even when Angra Mainyu had burnt and killed its way across the city, staining the ground with blood and death.<p>

And as that awareness had a connection to the land, it had a connection to the Beast's former prison and to those who contracted themselves to the wars.

The scarred land thrummed in warmth as one after one 7 Heroic Spirits made their appearance, the contracts being confirmed between Masters and Servants and it let out the equivelant of a happy smirk.

With a pulse of magic, it let its summons be known. Once more and possibly for the last time, Fuyuki would see all the blood, sweat and tears of a Grail War.

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><p>People who competed in the War of the Grail always had vasatly different reasons for doing so when compared to their competitors.<p>

Although the three noble houses that started the war by forging the grail could be exempt from this as they all seemed to be striving for the same thing, only going about it with different means and ideals.

But at the heart of things, it was usually difficult to determine a Master's goals and plans when it came to his wish.

The 5th War was of course free from this little hiccup due to the fact that the prize offered by the Grail this time was not a wish but the renewal of the world itself, definitely leaving no doubt that anyone competing was not in it for the most altruistic of reasons.

But for the life of her, Assassin could not discern just why her Master had decided to enter the fray.

David Jenners was a man of fine tastes. He had a desire for the finest clothes, the richest foods and the sweetest drinks. He was the man hailed as the savior of civilization, founding an entire colony out in the states where life had begun again.

But he had not lifted a finger to do it.

He had bribed and blackmailed his way into power, threatening those truly responsible and killing those who got a little too brave then was smart.

Not that Assassin knew these particular facts, she had only met the man 5 days prior, but what she did know was that he was not the kind of man to risk his own reputation and especially not his own life, when he could just as easily use proxies and manipulate them from the shadows with a few greased palms here and there.

He did not seem like a man to risk his life on a one in seven chance, to throw his life away on the War when he was only a mediocre mage himself.

Letting out a snort at her Master's companion's fake moans of pleasure echoing from behind the thick oaken door he had retreated behind for the night, she had to shake her head.

Yes, her Master was a disgusting little pig, but there was something more to him then the apparent power grubbing that he had told her had enticed him into competing in this war.

And no matter what, she would figure out the little pene's plan if it killed her.

* * *

><p>Twin roars echoed throughout the grit and grime of the Russian Hinterlands, as a lion pulled chariot scored its path straight through the snow, absolutely uncaring that the frozen gristle was miles deep.<p>

On the chariot were 2 figures, the first a blonde woman, her hair cut and cropped at her neck. She was dressed in a simple 3 piece black and white suit, a knife holstered on her right breast and a 9mm Beretta on her left.

The second figure was a man dressed in royal regalia befitting the ampitheaters and temples of the ancient world, a broadsword sheathed at his right hip and a dagger on the other. His eyes were grey and stone, his white haired peppered with slight spots of black.

She couldn't believe that she had managed to summon a Servant, not only any Servant either but the Emperor of Rome himself, the smile of that realization had stayed and plastered since she had summoned him, absolutely infectious.

Well okay, she had to admit as she stole a glance at the regal man standing on the chariot beside her, his stone expression put that particular idea firmly six feet deep, but it was still very unlikely to vanish anytime soon.

"Yo, Rider, you know where we're going?" She chirped, quirking her head with a smile towards her companion.

"I do not know the destination." His words came out in an almost breathy rumble that sent shivers done her spine. "But I know the direction. I am being drawn, it is almost unpleasant." He finished, snapping the bridles in his hands and spurring on the lions faster.

"But you already knew that, so why ask again?" The question came out with a quirked eyebrow.

Blushing slightly, she smirked mysteriously. "That's a secret."

Accepting his Master's response, he returned his attention to the snow before them, eyes locked onto the horizon.

* * *

><p>"So Caster, what do you think of the legendary Fuyuki City?" Luce Jacada, dressed in a black muscle shirt under a red hoodie and a pair of black jeans, chirped from besides his Servant, whose head was stuck firmly in a chemistry book.<p>

Caster looked up, his golden eyes surveying the ruined city with a critical eye, his dirty and matted golden hair plastered to his face apparently not bothering him in the least. "The air is rather dry, will be tricky to transmute anything water based, although in the blood in the ground offers many a chance to create almost unlimited supply of weaponry." Quirking a brow at his Master's unimpressed look, he sniffed slightly, snapping his book closed with a vicious snap. "And I suppose the view is nice as well."

"You are a riot, you know that Caster?" the boy snorted, leaping onto the sloping descent into the cities outer limits, and sliding down the dusty brown hill.

"Perenelle often said much the same." Caster whispered with a smile before leaping after his Master.

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><p>The ancient man lay buried beneath the ruins of Ryuoda temple, face as blank and unmoving as it had been for the last 59 winters, the 60th would be no different.<p>

The man was an unnoticed oddity, Fuyuki and the surrounding areas never really attracting travelers after Angra's release, but in almost 6 decades the man had not moved an inch, he had not eaten he had not drunk he had done nothing but age. His life sustained by the Leys that converged on the temple, his eyes stayed close, a purpose behind his survival never becoming apparent; just that he existed, not even lived, on the whims of the temple.

Although, funny thing about the whims of a Temple erected upon a land of such power the likes of Fuyuki. There was always a reason.

In a flash of red and a jolt of pain that forced the old man's eyes open and a raspy cry to claw itself from his neglected throat, a crest of power and magic etched itself onto his hand, as a voice echoed throughout the temple.

_I am the bone of my sword…'_

Eyes open and crystal, the grey orbs glowed almost ethereally seconds before the ruined temple exploded in a pillar of red and white light.

Okay so maybe the 60th winter would be different, he admitted to himself ruefully. He had been known to be wrong in the past after all.

_'Isn't that right, Shirou?'_

* * *

><p>Zouken had to let out a chuckle.<p>

It wasn't much, just a slight tickle in his throat as he stared at the 2 children in front of him, neither could be much older than 15, and their servant draped in a brown travelling cloak standing before them, dual lances not dissimilar to those of medieval jousters, in hand, silver eyes glowing with an almost lustful anticipation.

"Atei, Nia, stand back. Saber is not an easy Servant to combat and his Master is bound to be even less so, let me handle them."

And again he had to chuckle.

Eyes narrowing, the woman in the cloak let out a snarl. "And just what do you find so funny, child?"

Shaking his head, he rose a hand in apology. "Forgive me, I did mean no disrespect. Its just I find this situation to be far more hilarious than most anything in the last 60 years." He spoke, leathery skin squirming and writhing as the Crest Worms within him stirred at the almost forgotten emotion.

"And what's so funny old man?" the young boy asked of him indignantly, probably assuming that the hilarity he had derived had been at the boy's age and assumed inexperience, while that was part of it, on the whole it wasn't something that would have made him chuckle as he had.

Smirking widely, showing yellowed and blackened teeth that frightened the young girl futher behind her companion's leg, he savoured every word. "It's just, after we are done here. You are going to wish you were dealing with Saber."

The Servant's eyes split into shock as she yelled to her Master's to run and hide in the same split second, his Berserker let out a vicious, animalistic roar, closing the gap between himself and Lancer with a speed that should have been impossible for his slender frame under the bulky armour he wore, broadsword sliding out of the sheath and striking against the hastily raised silver spear in one smooth motion.

The first battle of the 5th Grail War had officially begun.

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><p><strong>Nice quick update. Don't get used to it.<strong>

**I figure you can all guess as to the identity of the old man, I didn't exactly make it subtle. I also didn't plan this and it was an alteration that I made due to the fact that I could not nail down a Servant for Lancer. ****So I moved my proposed Archer to the lancer slot and bought that guy in to fill the final slot, but I'm actually quite happy that I did, so at the end of the day it all works out for the best.**

**Of course, the apparent character disparities to facts stated aren't just gaping plot holes and will be explained in time.**

**Also, Luce Jacanda is pronounced **_Loo-say Jah-san-dah_.

**I see you guys looking, I see you guys favouriting, but I want to see you guys reviewing, telling me what you think instead of leaving me to flounder and wonder. I live off your reviews guys, c'mon.**


	3. This is How the War Began

**Fate/Cataclysm ****Chapter III  
>This is How The War Began<strong>

_Fate/Verse isn't mine, but is in fact Typemoon's property. I'm happy to announce I do own What the Goddamn though.  
>At least I think I do. If not, no plagiarism intended.<br>_

* * *

><p>For a split second time stopped, Lancer's hastily sucked in breath through clenched teeth was muted, the visceral blood lust booming off of Berserker vanished into the void and the sparks from metal grinding metal hung in the air.<p>

And then, time started again, the sheer force of Berserker's blow sending Lancer sliding back and knocking the lance from her hand.

Drawing her second lance into a two handed grip as she got her footing back, she had to duck as the Knight's sword swiped through the air where her head had been just a second ago, before being forced to twist almost unnaturally as her own lance came rushing at her in the path of the man's momentum, but unprepared for the vicious hook kick that caught her in the small of her back and sent her skipping along the ground like a pebble across a lake.

Coming to a stop, she had barely a second to catch her breath as the man's overbearing pressure came to bear upon her again.

With a growl she released the hold on her lance, and bought a hand to bear at the charging Berserker. "Eden's grace, Eden's wrath." With a flash of white and a burst of Prana, the lance Berserker had taken for his own wrenched out of his grasp, breaking his stride, before striking down at him in a blaze of white as it buried itself into Berserker driving him into the dirt of the forest.

Seconds later her other lance joined them, striking with an even more explosive force, built up from the longer distance, erupting into a small flare of pure white light, all those present forced to cover their eyes least they risk blinding themselves.

When the light died down and Zouken opened his eyes, Lancer and the Children had disappeared, the entire exchange taking less than a minute.

"Well now. That wasn't even remotely fair, was it Berserker?" Zouken asked with a smirk, his familiars .

His servant just let out a guttural, cutting growl, furious that his prey had escaped.

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><p>"My Master, there has been a skirmish." Assassin reported diligently trying to ignore her Master's nakedness as he climbed out of bed, the woman he had bought with him the night before dead, a knife to the chest.<p>

"Is that so? Hmmm, slightly early, any casualties?" He asked with a disinterested tone, wiping blood off of his hands on an old rag he had pulled out from a bedside drawer.

"None, I still feel the existence of all 7 Servants." She spoke softly walking over to the slowly cooling corpse, trailing a finger up the woman's curves, stopping at her jaw. "Honestly Master, must you be so messy with your whores?" She chided releasing a small pulse of prana, the woman's body dissolving into smoke and wrapping around her arm before vanishing into nothing.

"Does it really matter how messy I am Servant?" he spoke, perhaps a little harsher than he intended to, but the cowed look on his Servant's face fed his self-satisfaction in the desired way.  
>"I suppose it is about time that we began planning and plotting in earnest then, Servant. If the other Master's have deemed fit to begin their battles, then who are we to decide differently."<p>

She just nodded, not trusting the gleam in his eyes even a little.

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><p>"She isn't here." It was a simple statement. But it was said with such ferocity and vicious disbelief that it almost tore at the very atmosphere. "How is she not here <em>Priest<em>?"

Kirei stared at the King of Heroes almost pityingly, knowing that the man had only chosen to stay around on earth, waiting for the next Holy Grail War, for the King of Knights, the Saber of their war. King Arturia Pendragon.

"Are you sure you aren't mistaken?" he questioned of the egotistical Servant, which had probably not been the best thing to do as it drew the man's fury around onto a tangible target for his aggression.

"Are you questioning me _trash?" _He growled in that same tearing tone. "Are you doubting me, because you should know by now that such an action is nigh suicidal Priest. Tokiomi learnt that, do you want to learn it as well?"

Flinching quite harshly, knowing there was no way his body could keep up with the gold haired servant anymore, he bowed his head. "I apologize. I did not mean to question your statement."

"Tch, You push your luck far to much Kotomine." Gilgamesh snarled, but his features softened considerably and his entire demeanor softened. "I'm off to scout out the competitors, might even scare a few of these thieves if I feel like it."

Kirei just nodded, watching the King of Kings fade away in a screen of golden light, knowing that the non-appearance of Arturia had actually broken something inside of him, the goal and desire to see and make her his was what he had been sticking around for and now...

That goal had been taken away from him someone had stolen his treasure before he could even touch it and if Kirei knew Gilgamesh even a little, and after 60 years he did like to think that he did, then he knew that there were going to be some very intimidated and scared Servants walking around on eggshells for the next two weeks.

He had been right, this war would be fun.

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><p>These Servants really were trash, relying far to much on their connections to each other to never really entertain the idea of another Servant, other than those summoned for this war, might be roaming around and out for blood.<p>

She wouldn't have assumed, she would have known, she would have sensed him and come running, Excalibur in hand green eyes alight with passion and when they took in and comprehended just who he was, she would lunge at him with her wind obscured blade swinging, doing her damnedest to strike him dead.

It would be glorious.

But no, that would never happen. That God forsaken Grail had denied him his dream, his desire. It had ignored the wants of its King and spat in his face. Nobody did that, not even an inanimate object.

Catching movement in the corner of his eye, he watched as a red and white streak made his way into what had once been Fuyuki Park a dense green forest that was now little more than brittle petrified bark.

"I suppose I must vent my anger somehow."

With nary a sound or a movement, the King of Kings dissapeared, only to reapear overlooking the Servant who had come to a complete standstill. The servant wore a red trencoat on top of a set of black leather body armour, two ornate Chinese Knives rested on his thighs and he was looking right at him.

"Neh, I was wondering if you were still hanging around o' King of Kings." The red clad man spoke with a chuckle. "Why not show yourself, make me seem less crazy at least."

"Who are you, to order me to do anything?" Gilgamesh snarled, appearing in a blaze of Gold, clad in his brilliant golden armour, red eyes wide in outrage.

"Well I'm not quite as important as yourself, but then again in a world without Kings, just how relevant do you remain anyway?" Archer laughed ignoring the rising levels of Prana flowing off of the Golden King.

"I am the King who commands Kings. I am the absolute Beginning and End. I am the Truth and no only do you presume to order me, you would actually suggest that I am of no importance in this world?" His Noble Phantasm, the Gate of Babylon, erupted into life behind him. "Big mistake trash! And your last, vanish from my sight now!" And on that word the sky was filled with countless blades of all shapes and sizes, short swords, broadswords, claymores and katana, spears and halberds, knives and daggers. All roaring through the dead forest straight for the uppity piece of trash who dared to forget his place.

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><p>"Holy hell, Rider do you see that?" Terra crowed at the blazing gold that had burnt itself onto the horizon as they made their way onto the outskirts of Fuyuki, the Lion's pulling their chariot actually stopping and freezing in terror. "What the goddamn is that thing?"<p>

Rider's eyes narrowed, not knowing how to answer. He could sense a Servant in that general direction, but only one. It was unusual, disconcertingly so. Did that mean this attack could target even distant enemies? (Which would make the Servant at ground zero Archer)  
>Was it just a show of power on that particular servants part, as if to say "Good luck taking me"? Or was it an attack, locked on a target right before it and if so, what could warrant that much power.<p>

That was the most frightening prospect, because with only one Servant in the area and an attack of that scale being far to much overkill for a mere Master, that meant there was a rogue element in this war.

And to a military mind such as his, an unknown element with that much sheer power was absolutely terrifying.

* * *

><p>Archer watched as the veritable storm of very sharp and very deadly Noble Phantasm's flew towards him, all baying for his blood.<p>

His eye twitched as the flurry of information of every single one of them made themselves known. Oh, it seemed Gilgamesh had Cadabolg here, that was interesting.

Flipping up his two Chinese Daggers, Kanshou and Bakuya into his hands he decided to attempt a strategy that one particularly ballsy variant of himself had once employed against a Counter Servant version of himself.

Only on a much more dangerous level.

As the first blade reached him, he batted it aside like paper, he did the same for the second with his other dagger as the second Noble Phantasm reached him before blurring into a streak of colour as he weaved his way in and out of the oncoming storm of blades, smacking aside Phantasm after Phantasm.

For what seemed like a lifetime, Archer repelled everything that came at him, the sound of steel on steel only interrupted by the sound of shattering metal and the displacement of air as the projections of his knives were broken and retraced.

* * *

><p>Assassin shook in her perch watching the Golden clad man unleash an armies worth of Noble Phantasm's from within the Golden Aura that hovered behind him. This was insane, a Servant of that level, there was no way she could even hope to match that head on, she would be lucky she could even scratch the man before he struck her down viciously.<p>

Archer, for he could only be Archer with an attack of such devastating long range magnitude ceased his attack, no new weapons springing forth from the mysterious gate he had called on, with a quizzical expression on his face.

She had no idea why he could look so uncertain and unsure, nothing could have survived that, it wasn't conceivable. At least as far as her ego was concerned, more than one of these monsters just seemed completely unfair to her.

* * *

><p>Gilgamesh frowned in confusion.<p>

He had unleashed the wrath of his treasures with the utmost prejudice at the thrice damned upstart who had dared to act so superior, so cocky, in the face of his better, in the face of his King.

And yet, there had been no squelching of tearing blood and flesh, no cries of pain, anguish and regret as Phantasm after Phantasm struck dead home.

He had seen the trash repel the first two Phantasms with a disturbing ease and confidence but for him to have done the same to each and every single blade was unthinkable.

"I am the Bone of my Sword..."

Spinning around, Babylon erupting once more, his eyes widened as he saw one of his treasures resting on the crest of a crossbow, drawn back like an arrow. The Trash's brown eyes glowed in absolute mirth.

* * *

><p>Archer stood in the dust kicked up by Gilgamesh's assault, a visible sheen of sweat running down his face as he breathed in raggedly. Maybe he shouldn't have done that, he definitely had far more elegant methods for dealing with the Gate of Babylon, methods that weren't so potentially suicidal, but that variant's actions had seemed like fun, so he had succumb to base instincts he wasn't aware he had.<p>

Sheathing his newest projections of Kanshou and Bakuya at his side, he summoned up his bow and began chanting.

"_Death is our Origin and thus we originate in Death. _Steel is our Root and thus are we Rooted in Steel. The _Void gives us life and thus we are The Void" Eyes snapping open, Cadabolg flashed into his bow and he streaked out of the dust and behind Gilgamesh. "_I am the Bone of my Sword, t_his is the Projection of Our Will." _____He smirked almost cruelly as he watched the man's eyes widened in shock and rage and he spoke the final line of he mantra._____ _"Cadabolg."______

And with no small amount of vicious delight, he let the Broken Phantasm fly.

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><p><strong>Did I just knock out 2 chapters in one day? I think I did.<strong>

**Forgive me for making the skirmish between Lancer and Berserker so short, but I didn't feel like killing off Lancer so early and to do anything else would have seemed a cop out as far as I'm concerned.**

**Although hopefully copious Archer vs Archer makes up for it.**

**Also, reiteration, do not get used to such insane update speeds. By chapter 5, probably, I'll start to slow down and get back to my other stories while working on this at the same pace. Just a heads up.**

**Anyway, over 100 views and still no reviews? C'mon guys you can do better than that.**


	4. Archery Games

**Fate/Cataclysm ****Chapter IV  
>Archery Games<br>**

_Does it need to be said? Fate/Verse ain't mine, is all in the hands of the mental minds at Typemoon.  
>Speaking of, I'm off to Melty Blood, to see what all the fuss is about. <em>

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><p>Moving a golden chess piece, an intricately wrought Knight, into a Check position of a countering Platinum line up, he sighed as Gilgamesh's prana washed over the ruined Fuyuki in a tangible wave. Honestly, the wizened old priest considered to himself, pushing himself up with the help with a gnarled old piece of oak that he had smoothed and shaped into a respectably presentable walking stick, he made his way out onto the old church balcony, a stone number that had seen much better days but still did it's job with a somewhat apocalyptic grace.<p>

Sighing once more into the golden night, he had to let out a little smile at his 'Servants' actions. If nothing else, Kirei admitted to himself, nothing was ever boring when Gilgamesh was around.

Raising his staff in a silent salute, he turned towards the balcony's door, eyes narrowing at the figure hidden beyond, wrapped in the shadows. "It as been too long Zouken Mato, may I offer you a drink." The grinning form of the Mato Patriarch stepped forward, an unarmored knight shadowing his movements.

"That would be fantastic thank you, Kirei."

Suppressing a flinch at the way the creature's skin stretch and writhed as he split out a grin, Kotomine walked towards the back of the church, gesturing for to Zouken follow.

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><p>The Broken Phantasm flew with an unreal speed, closing the gap between archers in a manner of seconds. It flew with such speed that most no one would be able to dodge the strike in time, so fast that most folk would be dead before they even registered the pain.<p>

But Gilgamesh, the King of Kings, was no ordinary person, Heroic Spirit or otherwise.

In the split second before the Broken Cadabolg would have struck dead, the Golden Archer's hand snapped up, the heel of his palm slapping against the warped sword, shattering the projection to dust. "You would dare. You would dare to use my own treasures against me _Trash?"_

Archer paused uneasily. Cadabolg was a powerful weapon, even as a less than perfect projection of the weapon to see it battered away and broken with such apparent ease unnerved him.

Oh he knew that Gilgamesh was strong, absurdly so he remembered as such. But for him to swat away Cadabolg like a fly, that was a much different beast than any of his counterparts had tackled.

Gulping deeply, Shirou's eyes glowed as he manifested a pair of gauntlets, black and regal the Noble Phantasm was known as For Someone's Glory and had belonged to the tragic Knight Lancelot in a previous life. "I dare oh Golden King, not only that, but I dare to assume you will that not only will I escape here with my life, but I'll escape here with at least two of your treasures."

"A faker and a thief, you are doubly insulting trash!" Babylon burst open again, thousands of weapons painting the sky. "Your ego is unwarranted."

Instead of standing still and deflecting the onslaught this time, Shirou dashed forward, a black fog bursting forward from the traced gauntlets as the Archer class servant did the same, weaving in and out of the rain of steel with a practiced ease, only to find himself spinning back into their path as he was forced to dodge a swinging blade in the hand of the King of Kings, the Mesopotamian having deserted his perch overlooking the carnage he wrought and, instead, taken a more active approach. "Goodbye trash."

But, no impalement came as Shirou sprang on to his hands, feet spinning through the air and impacting the three blades that would have struck him dead at that moment, batting them away, the momentum pushing him to his feet, as his right hand grasped one of the deflected weapons, the other two continuing their course as they tore up trees and struck against more falling steel and bought it forward to bear, a burst of Prana from himself destroying Babylon's Volley as the Spear known as Heretic, the personal blade of King Solomon, cracked black and glowed with red veins marring it's pristine surface, leveled it's steel at Gilgamesh.

"That's one."

Snarling in fury, two vicious falchion burst from within Golden Gates and into the mans hands. "Fine, you've got some skills. I must admit that, but you should know this, trash." The Golden King snarled, spinning the blades at his sides. "No one steals from me and lives."

Chuckling, forcing down an impulse to fall to his knees and beg the man's pardon, Shirou spun Heretic and responded with a come hither gesture, both Arher's tensing in anticipation.

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><p>Lancer shivered with familiarity as she watched the golden night from a small cave overlooking the Fuyuki Ruins.<p>

That was the Gate of Babylon, the Doors of Eden that she had been thrown from so long ago. A servant had managed to ensnare that to their own desires and whims? That was terrifying and, considering just who she was and what she had faced down that was saying a lot.

Turning towards the restfully sleeping forms of her Master and his sister, she let out a sigh. As a Lancer there was no way she could take on someone with the power to control Babylon.

Bet perhaps... Yes, that could work.

Gently shaking Nia awake, she raised a finger to the young girl's lips. "I've got something I need you to do Nia, but you can't tell Atei. Can you help me?"

"Will it hurt Atei?" The young girl asked through a haze of fatigue.

"No, I can promise beyond a doubt that if anything it will help him more than anything."

With a bright smile, the young girl nodded and Lancer led the girl to the cave mouth hand in hand.

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><p>Assassin was such a handy servant to have, not to mention fitting for the way he had made his fame and fortune in this, the world after the Cataclysm.<p>

But even so, she didn't seem to be quite as handy as she would like to think, after all, she had still yet to notice the small button he had shifted into her cloak, the small bit of plastic internally wired with sound and video recording devices, devices that were, right now, offering him a front row seat to a battle between, unbelievably, two Archers.

It should be impossible, the Grail having only offered the standard 7 servant roles to 7 predetermined Masters, people worthy to inherit the world for their own wills and whims, to become the Very Root and Void of the World.

But his eyes weren't deceiving him, this was in fact happening and as such, he would have to alter his plans somewhat.

Unhooking an old army radio transceiver he fiddled with the tuning dial for a bit, and spoke into the receiver with a calm, almost unsurprised, tone. "Two Archers, request old Clocktower records. Authorization Delta Jaguar King and Queen."

Nothing but dead air replied, but even so the pudgy man unleashed a wicked smirk.

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><p>He stared hard at the small chain link Caster had handed him with an intensity impressive before twirling it between his knuckles a few times and even biting down on it once, he returned to staring at it.<p>

"Do you see it yet?" Caster asked with patient curiosity, as his Master continued to play with the proffered chain.

"Trace amounts of Magic ingrained into the actual metal, but that isn't anything special." Luce responded bored. "This whole dead city is absolutely saturated with Prana, I don't see why this tiny little chink of metal is any different, hell, I don't see why this is any more important than going to watch that epic fight over the horizon."

"Ah, but it is not just the chain, although that is the easiest thing to make the distinction from." Caster replied, blonde beard quivering in amusement. "Now extend yourself to the Temple's borders and then just slightly outside."

Quirking an eyebrow at his Servant's forwardness, Luce did as Caster asked, the man was obviously seeing something he wasn't but he didn't, or more likely, couldn't just give Luce the answer, the very idea going against everything the man was as a Scholar and Scientist.

So, Luce did as he was told, wrapping his prana down and around his circuits before sliding them to the naturally formed Bounded Fields of the Temple, Prana that had and would continue to, always build up around places of worship and faith, powered by the believers.

His magic slithered its way through broken stone and over rotting wood and around stale air, all the way to the shimmering edge of the temple grounds. "Okay, sure. The Fields seem oddly powerful, but this place looks old, the wards might just have been epically powerful, especially being on such a junction of Ley Lines." Luce spoke, a little off guard at just how much strength the Bounded Fields still had after so long of being disused.

"That's true Master, there are some very ancient Natural Fields that can last eons without people to worship at their centers." Caster agreed, the chink of metal now floating above his palm as it warped into indistinguishable shapes. "But, you've got one more step to go, reach out, just outside of the Natural Fields and tell me, what do you feel?"

Luce's gaze snapped hard into place, eyes falling onto his Servant in abject disbelief as he did as told. "No fucking way." He whispered sharply. "How the hell does that even work?"

"Who knows, but the fact stands, that apparently, it does." Caster said with a gleam in his eye, the metal link now stretched and wrapped around his left index finger in a spiral shape. "The question we need to ask ourselves at this juncture Luce, is just what this means for us?"

Swallowing hard, the young Frenchman had no reply.

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><p>Each Archer shifted their weight, blades in their hands more suited for those of Saber or Lancer origins, but these two titans intensely uncaring as they sought to kill or at least wound the other.<p>

In the skirmish, Shirou had managed to make good on his promise and had liberated another phantasm from Gilgamesh's command, the original Cadabolg, and all he had to do in return was almost lose an arm, because either way, Gilgamesh had not let Shirou do as he cared to do without leveling a king's ransom in return.

"I gotta say Gilgamesh, I knew you were strong, but to think that 60 years manifested could do something like this to your strength? I gotta say, that's kinda scary." Shirou chuckled, Cadabolg sliding into a projected harness on his back, Heretic doing the same, but across the small of his back instead, the actions drawing the King of Kings' surprise.

"You're surrendering?" The Golden King let out in disbelief, Enkindu spiraling coiling around himself in caution.

"Surrender? Hardly." Shirou laughed with a snort. "Wait, don't tell me you can't feel it?"

"Feel what?" The Golden Hero growled, only to stop as a burst of Prana wrapped around him, pulling at his very essence. "Damn it Kirei." Staring hard at Shirou, the man just nodded slightly, before vanishing in a shower of golden light.

"Of course it isn't over Gilgamesh." Shirou replied to the statement within the nod. "This doesn't end until you're dead."

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><p>"You've let yourself go Kirei." Zouken laughed as Berserker pinned the aged Priest to the wall on his blade, bloodthirsty growls rolling off the Servants tongue. "To think, you were once the Greatest Contractor the Church ever employed, hard to believe isn't it Berserker?"<p>

No reply was given.

"What's wrong Kotomine? You aren't replying, that's no fun." Zouken pouted, the effect ruined by the twisted and flailing of the excited Crest Worms beneath his skin.

"He doesn't do fun too well." A voice interjected from the back of the room. "But I suppose I make up for that." Gilgamesh growled, glaring into the shocked Zouken's eyes.

"How... how are you still here?" The unnatural man stammered, beckoning Berserker to stand in front of him as a Shield.

"No Zouken, the question is, what are you doing here? Because you know what it looks like to me?" Gilgamesh growled viciously, Enkindu flashing through the air, tearing through Zouken's right shoulder, separating him from his arm. "What the hell do you think you're doing touching _my property?"_

Howling in pain, Zouken screamed. "Kill him Berserker, kill them both!" But before the carnage hungry beast could move, Gilgamesh was in front of the Knight, his hand grasping the Servant's face. "I am not an official member of this war Zouken, therefore I do not give a damn about the trash within and don't find myself too willing to interact with them. Not unless they decide to get involved with me first, are we understood Mato?"

With a tentative nod, Gilgamesh smirked, his wrist flicking and Berserker flying through the rotten walls and out onto the overgrown courtyard. "Do not let me find you here again." The King of Kings crowed as the Patriarch of a Dead House ran from the building as quick as his decaying body could run.

Turning towards his Master, Partner... eh whatever the hell he and the Priest were, Gilgamesh let out a sigh as he carried the old man over to his bed and set to dressing the now unconscious man's wounds.

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><p><strong>The KireiMesh Fans are going to make a mountain out of this chapter's ending, I just know it.<br>**

**Chapter four, spun out for you all on the biting insistence of Rabla who, fyi, is writing a killer Black Rock Shooter story, so if you're into the BRS mythos at all give it a try, is called Worlds End Heroes and it updates far more frequently than this story and I cannot recommend it enough.**

**/Rabla, you owe me advertising money.**

**Jordan out.  
><strong>


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